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One Of Us Has To Go
Sometimes you just have to get rid of your best friend to break your own chains.
Every night at eleven o'clock, Sonja demands Finja lock her in. Tonight, Sonja even threatens to destroy Finja's new romance if she stops.
As girls, they both suffered from unloving fathers. Having given each other sanctuary, they became soulmates. But then Sonja's relentless, life-restricting rules forced them to run from Germany until they got stuck in England, never to return.
Their sweet friendship rendered a toxic co-dependency.
Now that Sonja wants to trap Finja forever, she has two options: keep bending to Sonja's will and relinquish all control of her own life, or eliminate Sonja...
Based on a true story about a dysfunctional family, mind games, blackmail, emotional control and dependency, obsessive compulsive disorder, and a new romance at stake.
Every night at eleven o'clock, Sonja demands Finja lock her in. Tonight, Sonja even threatens to destroy Finja's new romance if she stops.
As girls, they both suffered from unloving fathers. Having given each other sanctuary, they became soulmates. But then Sonja's relentless, life-restricting rules forced them to run from Germany until they got stuck in England, never to return.
Their sweet friendship rendered a toxic co-dependency.
Now that Sonja wants to trap Finja forever, she has two options: keep bending to Sonja's will and relinquish all control of her own life, or eliminate Sonja...
Based on a true story about a dysfunctional family, mind games, blackmail, emotional control and dependency, obsessive compulsive disorder, and a new romance at stake.
393 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 7, 2019
1 person is currently reading
31 people want to read
About the author
Katja Schulz
2 books11 followersKatja Schulz blames her impatience on the fact that she was born premature, in the middle of winter, and has therefore admitted to this, her only, flaw.
She turned her congenital curiosity and lust for adventure into a passion – crossing the Atlantic by ship twice, flying around the world and, after leaving her native country in 2004 for good, living in Switzerland, England, France and Canada.
It was only in July 2014, the month and year in which her book, One Of Us Has To Go, is set (present timeline!), that she discovered her liking for writing.
Her work has been read and reviewed by OCD-UK, one of the UK's leading foundations supporting people suffering from the debilitating mental illness Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. OCD-UK are also selling One Of Us Has To Go in their own shop.
https://www.ocduk.org/one-of-us-has-t...
Katja loves snow, music, football, tennis, and coffee, and couldn't imagine the world without. Her rather patient fiancé likes football just as much as she does, and should England ever beat Germany again, the two might have to reconsider their romance.
Apart from her native German, Katja is fluent in English and French.
What she is most fond of is photography, and she forgets the world beyond her lens when she's in her element.
She turned her congenital curiosity and lust for adventure into a passion – crossing the Atlantic by ship twice, flying around the world and, after leaving her native country in 2004 for good, living in Switzerland, England, France and Canada.
It was only in July 2014, the month and year in which her book, One Of Us Has To Go, is set (present timeline!), that she discovered her liking for writing.
Her work has been read and reviewed by OCD-UK, one of the UK's leading foundations supporting people suffering from the debilitating mental illness Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. OCD-UK are also selling One Of Us Has To Go in their own shop.
https://www.ocduk.org/one-of-us-has-t...
Katja loves snow, music, football, tennis, and coffee, and couldn't imagine the world without. Her rather patient fiancé likes football just as much as she does, and should England ever beat Germany again, the two might have to reconsider their romance.
Apart from her native German, Katja is fluent in English and French.
What she is most fond of is photography, and she forgets the world beyond her lens when she's in her element.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
October 12, 2019
This is really an autobiography of Katja but is written as Finja and her best friend Sonja and how Sonja’s OCD devastated both their lives
This isn’t OCD as I would imagine it ie having to check a door is locked but OCD that meant they had to move Countries ( and regularly ) and included such things as having to gargle with shower gel to cleanse themselves, it really is quite shocking how extreme this illness can be and how much it affected both their lives
The writing is word rich and I was actually surprised the kindle count wasn’t more, that’s no criticism of the style it just’s an observation
I did laugh at times in the book and cringe too, none more so when poor Finja arrives in London and stays at a shocking Bed and Breakfast in Mile End, was upset and frustrated sometimes at Sonja especially and how the OCD was ruining both their lives
Its very moving in parts and you really do get a full insight to how life changing OCD can be
I enjoyed the descriptions of Germany and Switzerland and other places and the characters were poignant, mostly not particularly likeable ( especially Ivan!! ) but I was really rooting for Finja and had a big hurrahhhhh of relief at the end of the book for her
You can only admire the author for writing this book, at the beginning it states it was ‘written for healing’ and if that healing helps others as well then its commendable
I enjoyed the book although horrified at times and there really is
only the scores below I can give when someone has laid their soul so bare for others to see
10/10
5 Stars
February 1, 2024
I was curious about this book, as I know a few people with both mild and severe OCD. As it is the true story of the author's life, with a few alterations to respect privacy, I wondered how it would be written: what point of view it would take, where it would begin, how the information would be imparted. It read as an intriguing real-life drama, with elements of suspense.
The author starts at a breaking point for the main character - one of us has to go - and then returns to the past, starting from the beginning to tell the story of Finja and her friend Sonja, who is the one with OCD, moving backwards and forwards between the past and present day until the past catches up.
I found the writing compelling and the story piqued my curiosity, especially with cliff hangers at the end of some of the chapters. I became emotionally invested in Finja's story, and needed to see how it was going to turn out: how she reached that breaking point and what the outcome would be. I wasn't disappointed - in fact it has quite a revelation at the end, with an ending I hadn't anticipated at all and landed the 'wow' factor.
The author puts across the chaos of the OCD sufferer, and also how it affects those caring for them, in a way that is coherent for anyone to understand, even those of us who do not suffer it or come into contact daily with those that do. I was able to understand on a level I hadn't before, and in fact I was amazed at how much the author had been able to achieve in their life - especially living in multiple countries and different cultures. It shows that the illness doesn't deprive the victim of their ability to live, just whether they are able to enjoy the life they were living.
It also highlighted the trauma that is often a root cause for this illness, and how the people that inflicted the trauma are never held accountable. I was horrified by both sets of parents and their lack of responsibility and caring.
The other exceptional part about this book is that the author is not a native English speaker, and this is not a translated book (even though it is edited), and yet it reads as well as any written by an native English person.
I am keen to read this authors second book, and would urge anyone with an interest in understanding OCD to give this book a read.
The author starts at a breaking point for the main character - one of us has to go - and then returns to the past, starting from the beginning to tell the story of Finja and her friend Sonja, who is the one with OCD, moving backwards and forwards between the past and present day until the past catches up.
I found the writing compelling and the story piqued my curiosity, especially with cliff hangers at the end of some of the chapters. I became emotionally invested in Finja's story, and needed to see how it was going to turn out: how she reached that breaking point and what the outcome would be. I wasn't disappointed - in fact it has quite a revelation at the end, with an ending I hadn't anticipated at all and landed the 'wow' factor.
The author puts across the chaos of the OCD sufferer, and also how it affects those caring for them, in a way that is coherent for anyone to understand, even those of us who do not suffer it or come into contact daily with those that do. I was able to understand on a level I hadn't before, and in fact I was amazed at how much the author had been able to achieve in their life - especially living in multiple countries and different cultures. It shows that the illness doesn't deprive the victim of their ability to live, just whether they are able to enjoy the life they were living.
It also highlighted the trauma that is often a root cause for this illness, and how the people that inflicted the trauma are never held accountable. I was horrified by both sets of parents and their lack of responsibility and caring.
The other exceptional part about this book is that the author is not a native English speaker, and this is not a translated book (even though it is edited), and yet it reads as well as any written by an native English person.
I am keen to read this authors second book, and would urge anyone with an interest in understanding OCD to give this book a read.
September 8, 2020
I “met” this author via Twitter and in that odd way of social media, feel we are kindred spirits from different parts of the world. Her autobiographical book is a departure from those I typically read. And I’m so glad I took a chance on this one. One of Us Has To Go opened my eyes to the debilitating illness of OCD, shattering my pre-conceived notions that it lives on the surface like something that can be ignored or tucked in a drawer. At times, Katja’s writing felt like stream of consciousness, almost Sylvia Plath-ish. At other times, suspenseful, as the conclusion grew to a climax I partially expected yet hadn’t completely worked out in my mind. Written in honest, easy-to-follow prose from an author whose primary language isn’t English. A nice change of pace for me.
August 6, 2019
Wow! What a powerful and beautifully written book. I was not expecting a narrative that would capture and hold my attention, but it did just that.
This is a book that anyone dealing with OCD, or who knows someone who is, must read. Well done Katja Schulz, well done!
This is a book that anyone dealing with OCD, or who knows someone who is, must read. Well done Katja Schulz, well done!
August 25, 2019
A super intriguing story. The voice of the main character/ author is what really got me. There are several spots that made me laugh out loud, not because the situation was exactly funny, but because I was seeing it through Finja's eyes, and she has such a distinct way of seeing the world.
Also, I loved the twist at the end. This is the kind you can go back over the beginning and think, OHHH.
Slightly off topic: someone close to me has OCD. It was enlightening to read this and have some "ah-ha" moments, glimpses into his brain. (Even though he has a different form of OCD, there are lots of similarities). The book was a story more than anything, but I feel like I understand OCD much better now. One of my fav things about reading books is learning a new perspective, so this was a huge plus for me.
Also, I loved the twist at the end. This is the kind you can go back over the beginning and think, OHHH.
Slightly off topic: someone close to me has OCD. It was enlightening to read this and have some "ah-ha" moments, glimpses into his brain. (Even though he has a different form of OCD, there are lots of similarities). The book was a story more than anything, but I feel like I understand OCD much better now. One of my fav things about reading books is learning a new perspective, so this was a huge plus for me.
February 11, 2020
Katja Schulz has written an important book, a novel about the narrator’s (Finja’s) toxic co-dependency relationship with a woman (Sonja) who suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), a book so autobiographical it reads like a memoir.
The novel is ONE OF US HAS TO GO.
The author, Katja Schulz, has suffered from OCD since childhood and continues to struggle with it.
ONE OF US HAS TO GO brings home in a gut-wrenching narrative what a person with OCD goes through and, just as painfully, what a person who lives with that person goes through.
The story is not a global discussion of OCD but one focused on two women who bonded as ten-year-olds and who remain bonded for over twenty years, changing schools together, moving frequently to get away from “dirty” or “contaminated people,” avoiding places, foods and even certain cars, etc.
The first chapter is so dramatic, so tense, it may haunt you for days (the final chapter too is intense). Finja wants to leave Sonja to be with her boyfriend, Roger. Sonja won’t accept that and threatens to show a picture to Roger that both women know will cause Roger to leave Finja. Finja decides enough is enough: one of them has to go. She prays to God (more like explains to God) she’s had it with living with Sonja. She’s tired. She can’t take anymore. “You know I’m done,” she tells Him, “and you do understand, don’t you? I have no other choice this time.”
Since we are told up front this is based on the author’s life, there’s a lingering fear she might be confessing to a murder.
Most of the book details the progressive worsening of Sonja’s OCD from her childhood, and the deleterious effects it has on her and on Finja. It even alienates Finja’s parents. Some of the events and thoughts in the novel are so shocking they must be true. There’s no other way they would be accepted in a fictional story.
Every so often there is a chapter of increased tension. Reading those, I was torn between a don’t-do-that feeling and a hurry-up-and-get-it-over-with-I- can’t-take-it-any-longer feeling.
Katja Schulz has written an amazing story. It deserves a wide readership.
Five Stars.
NOTE: If you do not know much about OCD, this video gives you important information.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trJLQ...
The speaker is Elizabeth McIngvale, an OCD sufferer. Interesting to me, there are a lot of parallels between Elizabeth’s story and that portrayed in One of Us Has to Go.
NOTE: Goodreads has me down as reading a Kindle version. That's incorrect. I bought and read a paperback copy. By the way, I love the cover.
The novel is ONE OF US HAS TO GO.
The author, Katja Schulz, has suffered from OCD since childhood and continues to struggle with it.
ONE OF US HAS TO GO brings home in a gut-wrenching narrative what a person with OCD goes through and, just as painfully, what a person who lives with that person goes through.
The story is not a global discussion of OCD but one focused on two women who bonded as ten-year-olds and who remain bonded for over twenty years, changing schools together, moving frequently to get away from “dirty” or “contaminated people,” avoiding places, foods and even certain cars, etc.
The first chapter is so dramatic, so tense, it may haunt you for days (the final chapter too is intense). Finja wants to leave Sonja to be with her boyfriend, Roger. Sonja won’t accept that and threatens to show a picture to Roger that both women know will cause Roger to leave Finja. Finja decides enough is enough: one of them has to go. She prays to God (more like explains to God) she’s had it with living with Sonja. She’s tired. She can’t take anymore. “You know I’m done,” she tells Him, “and you do understand, don’t you? I have no other choice this time.”
Since we are told up front this is based on the author’s life, there’s a lingering fear she might be confessing to a murder.
Most of the book details the progressive worsening of Sonja’s OCD from her childhood, and the deleterious effects it has on her and on Finja. It even alienates Finja’s parents. Some of the events and thoughts in the novel are so shocking they must be true. There’s no other way they would be accepted in a fictional story.
Every so often there is a chapter of increased tension. Reading those, I was torn between a don’t-do-that feeling and a hurry-up-and-get-it-over-with-I- can’t-take-it-any-longer feeling.
Katja Schulz has written an amazing story. It deserves a wide readership.
Five Stars.
NOTE: If you do not know much about OCD, this video gives you important information.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trJLQ...
The speaker is Elizabeth McIngvale, an OCD sufferer. Interesting to me, there are a lot of parallels between Elizabeth’s story and that portrayed in One of Us Has to Go.
NOTE: Goodreads has me down as reading a Kindle version. That's incorrect. I bought and read a paperback copy. By the way, I love the cover.
April 19, 2021
This was a wonderful book that showed just how difficult life can be with OCD. It highlights the impact it can have not only on the person afflicted but to those around them. There are many levels of OCD, in this case it was a pretty severe case that left her at it's mercy. The journey takes you from childhood, teenage years through adulthood. You see how hard it is to live a normal life. Having friends, going to school, trying to work and forging though day to day tasks that others do with ease. Having only mild exposure to someone who suffers from OCD, reading this was both heartbreaking and very enlightening. It brings to light that a persons upbringing, parents as well as other factors can be the cause of it, or how it can compound it. Without giving spoilers, the author wrote this in a very unique way to allow the reader to grasp the affliction easier. I cannot imagine living a life that would literally hold me hostage, and do the same to those close to me. Finding the right people and support is critical. A lot of patience, understanding and love is needed. I am so happy I read this debut novel By Katja Shultz. Knowing that english isn't her first language, she delivered the message and story very well! Note there could be some triggers of mental abuse but they aren't over the top. I urge anyone who has OCD, PTSD or knows anyone who does to read this book. I know have a full knowledge and understanding of it and its control on a person.
July 24, 2019
This book is awesome! What is even more amazing is that it is this author's first novel and written in English which is not her first language. The voices flow from a traumatised childhood to a deeply troubled adulthood with an almost naive honesty. OCD (Obsessive Complulsive Disorder) takes centre stage. The author treats this sensitive subject with the same open honesty that succeeds in portraying for us the debilitating and constrictive existence endured by the sufferer. It is a captivating tale with an explosive and unexpected climatic ending. The book reminds me of Faulkner's "The Sound and the Fury" in as much as it so, on completion, be placed aside, to settle, and then, in time, re-read with new insight and understanding... I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
July 22, 2019
Finja and Sonja are two best friends who have shared everything since they were children. They support each other through hard times as they both have unkind, abusive fathers. However, Sonja developes a serious illness - obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Sonja is drawn into a world of debilitating compulsions and Finja is dragged in with her. As Sonja's compulsions become more and more debilitating and the impact on both their lives becomes too great to bear, Finja begins to consider whether she can continue with her lifelong best friend. This is a riveting read, providing a rare insight into the serious condition that is OCD.
September 19, 2019
What a great story, and a great way to shine some light on OCD. Katja Schulz weaves together a compelling story of two friends growing up together and how OCD impacts the main character. Jumping forward and backward in time, you can't help but want to see how the characters get where they are in the unfolding story. While you feel strongly for the MC, she is imperfect herself, which really helps you understand relate to the struggles she faces, even when they are so far removed from our own lives. If you know someone suffering from OCD, this book is a must-read. If you don't, it still stands on its own as a very captivating story!
September 18, 2019
This is an exceptional debut novel. Shocking and funny, written with wisdom and intelligence, I can't recommend it enough. As an OCD sufferer, I had been looking forward to this book, and it didn't disappoint.
The story moves at a great pace, but the characters develop realistically and organically, and you're easily carried along with them.
If you want to I understand the reality of living with this frequently misunderstood condition, this book is as honest and truthful an account as you will ever read.
The story moves at a great pace, but the characters develop realistically and organically, and you're easily carried along with them.
If you want to I understand the reality of living with this frequently misunderstood condition, this book is as honest and truthful an account as you will ever read.
August 20, 2019
I really enjoyed reading this book. I was hooked from the start
The characters and places came alive which allowed my imagination to develop a visual view of the book. This is always an excellent sign that I am involved in the story. Katja,s writing captures how complex and controlling OCD is.
The friendship between Sonia and Finja is very strong and their story is a compelling read.
A brilliant first novel.
The characters and places came alive which allowed my imagination to develop a visual view of the book. This is always an excellent sign that I am involved in the story. Katja,s writing captures how complex and controlling OCD is.
The friendship between Sonia and Finja is very strong and their story is a compelling read.
A brilliant first novel.
July 24, 2019
It is so perfectly written, from the childish joy at the snow to the visceral revoltingness of a certain male character. Schulz writes with heartbreaking clarity, everything observed with cool precision; I was totally caught up in Finja's world. The shocking twist at the end was brilliant and took me completely by surprise.
August 11, 2019
A truly brave and successful portrayal of the debilitating condition of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. The author has been able to turn the story of her bewildering young life into a fascinating first novel. Although Katja reveals to the reader that English is not her first language, this is surprising as the writing is so clear and expressive. A most promising new writer.
December 14, 2019
This book has a character with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and it accurately displays the disorder. I enjoyed the book very much and it kept me guessing until the end. I have OCD and although my experience with the disorder is slightly different and not as bad as the character in the book, it was refreshing to see it realistically portrayed.
May 12, 2021
if you know someone with OCD and want to know how they feel , then this book is a must. But that's not the only reason to read this book. The writing is excellent. The details in the writing made me feel like I'm standing next to the characters, watching the story unfold. And the best part is , the chapters are short. Makes it easy for that 5 minute read in a busy life :) . Its just Awesome.
July 16, 2019
Super debut novel.
The story is captivating urging you to read just one more chapter.
The charachters are well drawn , some likeable and some definately not - perfect.
A well written 'must read' book.
The story is captivating urging you to read just one more chapter.
The charachters are well drawn , some likeable and some definately not - perfect.
A well written 'must read' book.
March 28, 2021
This book is not only an amazing insight into ocd but a story to keep you reading on. Being a sufferer of ocd
myself for 40 years, I couldn't believe how Katja Schulz was writing exactly what ocd is and still keeping it interesting, funny, and adding a twist at the end.
myself for 40 years, I couldn't believe how Katja Schulz was writing exactly what ocd is and still keeping it interesting, funny, and adding a twist at the end.
August 24, 2021
This book is a masterpiece. It describes the mental health battle that OCD is in a way that everyone can understand, even if one doesn’t have exhaustive knowledge of it. The characters truly come to life, making the plot twist at the end even more shocking and poignant.
July 8, 2021
Great read!
May 28, 2021
I was given a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review, and thank the author.
One of Us Has to Go is a confronting, complex book about an important subject that I now realize I didn't understand at all: OCD. Many decades ago I had a roommate that brushed her teeth 30 times a day. Every day. Her kind of OCD is the only kind I have encountered before.
The story starts at a point in the character's life when she is breaking, and then tells the story of Finja and her friend Sonja through flashbacks. Then story makes many shifts in time, moving backwards and forwards multiple times, revealing bits of their history with each shift.
Sonja is the one who suffers from OCD, and Finja is the one who feels trapped by it. How will Finja cope? If she breaks, what will she do, and what will cause it? When my mom was only 45 she had a devastating stroke and was never the same. She lost her ability to communicate. Living with her was like living with an adult-sized toddler. My dad and I both felt like a breaking point might drive us to leave. Life with her was too hard. She died at age 62. We lived, trapped by her, for 17 years. That sounds terrible, but it is true. So, this is what I thought about while reading about Finja's situation. I was invested.
I learned a lot about OCD in this book and found the information smart, surprising and insightful. The author allowed the reader to learn and connect with this character who suffers from a disorder that most of us never know. But the part of the story that impacted me most was not Sonja's, it was Finja's. The caretaker story is emotionally riveting for this reader. I felt every emotion that Finja felt.
One of Us Has to Go is a confronting, complex book about an important subject that I now realize I didn't understand at all: OCD. Many decades ago I had a roommate that brushed her teeth 30 times a day. Every day. Her kind of OCD is the only kind I have encountered before.
The story starts at a point in the character's life when she is breaking, and then tells the story of Finja and her friend Sonja through flashbacks. Then story makes many shifts in time, moving backwards and forwards multiple times, revealing bits of their history with each shift.
Sonja is the one who suffers from OCD, and Finja is the one who feels trapped by it. How will Finja cope? If she breaks, what will she do, and what will cause it? When my mom was only 45 she had a devastating stroke and was never the same. She lost her ability to communicate. Living with her was like living with an adult-sized toddler. My dad and I both felt like a breaking point might drive us to leave. Life with her was too hard. She died at age 62. We lived, trapped by her, for 17 years. That sounds terrible, but it is true. So, this is what I thought about while reading about Finja's situation. I was invested.
I learned a lot about OCD in this book and found the information smart, surprising and insightful. The author allowed the reader to learn and connect with this character who suffers from a disorder that most of us never know. But the part of the story that impacted me most was not Sonja's, it was Finja's. The caretaker story is emotionally riveting for this reader. I felt every emotion that Finja felt.
June 28, 2022
Based on a true story, this novel grabs you straight from the beginning. I quickly forgot everything I thought I knew about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and was horrified to learn how debilitating this disease can be. I had no idea of the seriousness of the condition; the relentless rules, cleansing, and contamination. The toll on the individual is huge and it quickly transfers to families, friends, and ultimately sabotages relationships. The story of Finja and Sonja is extremely well written and is both humorous and harrowing, but it’s hard to say too much without giving away spoilers. Knowing that the book is a fictionalised account of the author’s experiences I knew there would be a satisfying conclusion. Of course there are no guarantees where illness is concerned, but the book delivered an ending that was hopeful ever after.
A final word of congratulations to the author who had the courage and determination to bring this book to life. Inspirational.
A final word of congratulations to the author who had the courage and determination to bring this book to life. Inspirational.
December 6, 2019
I read this book on the recommendation of a friend. It really moves away from my usual reading style.
"One of us has to go" is an easy to read book. The use of short sentences is welcome. All along the reading we have the impression that we have the author talking to us. We easily forget that this is an auto-biographical book. We feel involved in the story, we are listening to someone. This is similar to the use of "you" we often find in the books of Eastern European authors.
The first part on childhood can be read very quickly. Sometimes funny, sometimes sad, we follow the characters as they grow up in a world in which the new rules imposed make life more and more difficult. The transition to adulthood is much harder to follow. It's much darker and the rules are suffocating us. We would like to make characters a smile, guide them, comfort them. But page after page, we can only observe them getting hit over and over again.
The suspense is well sets over the pages, it lets us imagine several conclusions. The one chosen caught us a little off guard, I appreciate it!
It is a very good way to write about a disease, a great way to share and I highly recommend reading.
---
En français :
J'ai lu ce livre sur la recommandation d'une amie. Il s'éloigne vraiment de mon style de lecture habituel.
"One of us has to go" est un livre facile à lire. L'usage de phrases courtes est bienvenue. Tout le long nous avons l'impression d'avoir l'auteur qui nous parle. Nous oublions facilement qu'il s'agit d'un livre auto-biographique. Nous nous sentons impliqués dans l'histoire, on écoute une personne parler. Cela se rapproche des tutoiements que nous retrouvons souvent dans les livres des auteurs de l'Europe de l'est.
La première partie sur l'enfance se dévore (dans le sens se lit très rapidement). Tantôt drôle, tantôt triste, nous suivons les personnages grandir dans un univers dans lequel les nouvelles règles imposées rendent la vie de plus en plus difficile. Le passage à l'age adulte est lui bien plus dur à suivre. Il est bien plus sombre et les règles nous étouffent. Nous voudrions pouvoir donner le sourire aux personnages, les guider, les réconforter. Mais pages après pages, nous pouvons seulement les observer se recevoir des coups, encore et encore.
Le suspense s'installe bien au fil des pages, il nous laisse imaginer plusieurs conclusions. Celle choisi nous a un peu pris au dépourvu, ce qui est très bon au final !
C'est une très bonne manière d'écrire sur une maladie, un excellent moyen de partager et je recommande vivement la lecture.
January 6, 2020
Full review on my blog: http://www.colindsmith.com/blog/2020/...
In short: If your only exposure to OCD is through characters on television, or popular stereotypes, you really should read this novel. And if you have loved ones or close friends who suffer with OCD, this novel may help you understand better what they’re going through.
In short: If your only exposure to OCD is through characters on television, or popular stereotypes, you really should read this novel. And if you have loved ones or close friends who suffer with OCD, this novel may help you understand better what they’re going through.
August 25, 2019
Katja Schulz does not hold back with her "based on a true story", One Of Us Has To Go. Ms. Schulz has a true and raw writing style that brings to life Katja and Sonja, the inseparable companions who fight for their lives against mental illness, mainly OCD. While the story was hard to read at times because it is so raw and upsetting, I find that it would be beneficial to all sufferers of this illness to read it. Katja's story gives proof to those who suffer along side her. While each person with OCD fights their own unique demons, this story can bring hope for better days. The story can also benefit those who know and love OCD sufferers. I know first hand how hard it is for loved ones to understand and accept this mental illness. OCD is not only a monster to the sufferer, but can also be a hard hurdle for the sufferer's support system to maneuver. In the "About The Author" section, it says Katja suffered for over thirty years before writing the book. I find her to be so brave to come forward and share the truth about this terrifying and exhausting mental illness. Through her story, I am sure she will inspire other sufferers to seek help so they will not have to give up so many years to this illness. Thank you, Katja, for sharing your truth and may you find peace from here forward.
January 4, 2022
Wow! This book is definitely a must read, I can assure you that you will not be disappointed. Katja writes in an excellent, engaging and clever way. I could not put this book down, Katja writes in such a fantastic way, keeping you gripped and intrigued on every page. I love the way that Katja has written it, it is unique and has a twist towards the end which truly opens your eyes to the true nature of OCD. So many people do not understand what OCD is actually like, Katja does an incredible job at portraying it with pure honesty and vulnerability. Everyone needs to read this book. Thank you so much to Katja for sharing her story with us, she is an inspiration and she has given me so much hope, as well as knowing I am not alone. Lots of love from Emily xxx
April 7, 2022
I have quite severe OCD. I’ve been in hospital, on medication, in and out of therapist offices… and nothing really explains the horror of OCD like this does. Although my OCD is different from ‘Sonja’, this book was just so relatable. I felt seen. In a good way!!
On a more practical note, this book is extremely well written. The prose flows (hey that rhymes!) beautifully and there are some lovely turns of phrase. I think (though correct me if I’m wrong) that English isn’t even Katya’s first language, which makes it all the more extraordinary.
Overall, it’s a glimpse into something you may not understand, but it’s also a good story as well. Recommended for sufferer, carer, and everyone!
On a more practical note, this book is extremely well written. The prose flows (hey that rhymes!) beautifully and there are some lovely turns of phrase. I think (though correct me if I’m wrong) that English isn’t even Katya’s first language, which makes it all the more extraordinary.
Overall, it’s a glimpse into something you may not understand, but it’s also a good story as well. Recommended for sufferer, carer, and everyone!
February 4, 2022
Finja's new-found friend, Sonja, brings her the comfort and love that she has been craving. But...at a high price!
This story transports the reader into a world of struggles at every turn against sources of perceived contamination.
There are many little twists which keep up the page-turning pace of the unfolding story, right 'til the final blockbuster.
No spoilers here, just a commendation for the author for a thoroughly gripping read from start to finish. Your view of OCD cannot fail to be enriched after this read.
This story transports the reader into a world of struggles at every turn against sources of perceived contamination.
There are many little twists which keep up the page-turning pace of the unfolding story, right 'til the final blockbuster.
No spoilers here, just a commendation for the author for a thoroughly gripping read from start to finish. Your view of OCD cannot fail to be enriched after this read.
November 2, 2019
What an amazing book. I have read it over several days; pausing to think about the issues raised and the characters encountered. The brilliance of the author's description of her problem and how she confronts it makes this book a very rewarding read. In a few months time I shall read it again and I am sure that I will be just as impressed. The quality of the writing make sit difficult to realise that this is Katja's first novel. Another is promised. I hope it is not too long coming.
July 28, 2020
Hard to believe that this is a first novel. You can tell that it is written from the heart, and the story really moved along at a good pace. I found it very illuminating with regard to what it is like to live with OCD, not a condition that is always easily understood. The drama was well written and kept you turning the page. Loved it!
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